Unit for supplying substrate treating liquid and apparatus for treating substrate including the same

Abstract

A unit for supplying a substrate-treating liquid is provided with a first reservoir and a second reservoir between which a differential pressure is constantly maintained to establish a flow rate, along with a substrate-treating apparatus having the unit for supplying the substrate-treating liquid. The unit for supplying the substrate-treating liquid includes a supply reservoir module and a buffer reservoir module. The supply reservoir module includes a first reservoir for supplying the substrate-treating liquid to an inkjet head unit for jetting the substrate-treating liquid onto a substrate, and a second reservoir for recovering the substrate-treating liquid that remains unused in the inkjet head unit. The buffer reservoir module is configured to provide the substrate-treating liquid to the first reservoir. Differential pressure is constantly maintained between the first reservoir and the second reservoir.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A unit for supplying a substrate-treating liquid, the unit comprising:
 a supply reservoir module comprising:
 a first reservoir configured to supply the substrate-treating liquid to an inkjet head unit configured to jet the substrate-treating liquid onto a substrate, and 
 a second reservoir configured to recover the substrate-treating liquid that remains unused in the inkjet head unit; 
 
 a buffer reservoir module configured to provide the substrate-treating liquid to the first reservoir; 
 a first line directly connecting the first reservoir and the second reservoir; and 
 a circulation control module configured to circulate and re-supply the substrate-treating liquid from the second reservoir to the first reservoir, 
 wherein a differential pressure is constantly maintained between the first reservoir and the second reservoir. 
 
     
     
       2. The unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second line connecting the first reservoir and the inkjet head unit; 
 a third line connecting the inkjet head unit and the second reservoir. 
 
     
     
       3. The unit of  claim 2 , wherein the first line is configured to move a flow rate corresponding to the differential pressure between the first reservoir and the second reservoir. 
     
     
       4. The unit of  claim 2 , wherein a flow rate of the substrate-treating liquid passing through the first line is different from a flow rate of the substrate-treating liquid passing through the second line and/or the third line. 
     
     
       5. The unit of  claim 4 , wherein the flow rate of the substrate-treating liquid passing through the first line is greater than the flow rate of the substrate-treating liquid passing through the second line and/or the third line. 
     
     
       6. The unit of  claim 2 , wherein a flow rate of the substrate-treating liquid passing through the first line is variable. 
     
     
       7. The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the differential pressure comprises:
 a differential head between the first reservoir and the second reservoir. 
 
     
     
       8. The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the differential pressure initially supplies the substrate-treating liquid to the first reservoir and the second reservoir and is followed by an application of negative pressure to form different pressures in the first reservoir and the second reservoir. 
     
     
       9. The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the first reservoir is provided at an even elevation with the second reservoir, and the buffer reservoir module is provided above the first reservoir and/or the second reservoir. 
     
     
       10. The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the circulation control module comprises:
 a pump configured to circulate the substrate-treating liquid from the second reservoir to the first reservoir; 
 a flow meter configured to measure a flow rate of the substrate-treating liquid when circulated; and 
 a filter configured to filter the substrate-treating liquid when circulated. 
 
     
     
       11. The unit of  claim 1 , wherein the circulation control module is provided with a pressure that is variable. 
     
     
       12. The unit of  claim 11 , wherein the pressure provided to the circulation control module is variable based on water level information of the second reservoir, or is variable based on a ratio between water level information of the first reservoir and the water level information of the second reservoir. 
     
     
       13. The unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a water level measurement sensor configured to measure water level information, the water level measurement sensor being installed in the second reservoir, or installed in both the first reservoir and the second reservoir. 
 
     
     
       14. The unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pressure controller module configured to independently control a pressure of the first reservoir and a pressure of the second reservoir. 
 
     
     
       15. A unit for supplying a substrate-treating liquid, the unit comprising:
 a supply reservoir module comprising:
 a first reservoir configured to supply the substrate-treating liquid to an inkjet head unit configured to jet the substrate-treating liquid onto a substrate, and 
 a second reservoir configured to recover the substrate-treating liquid that remains unused in the inkjet head unit; 
 
 a buffer reservoir module configured to provide the substrate-treating liquid to the first reservoir; 
 a circulation control module configured to cause the substrate-treating liquid recovered to the second reservoir to be circulated and re-supplied to the first reservoir; 
 a first line connecting the first reservoir and the inkjet head unit; 
 a second line connecting the inkjet head unit and the second reservoir; and 
 a third line connecting the first reservoir and the second reservoir, 
 wherein the third line is configured to move a flow rate corresponding to a differential pressure between the first reservoir and the second reservoir, and 
 wherein a flow rate of the substrate-treating liquid passing through the third line is greater than a flow rate of the substrate-treating liquid passing through the first line and/or the second line. 
 
     
     
       16. An apparatus for treating a substrate, comprising:
 an inkjet head unit configured to jet a substrate-treating liquid onto the substrate; and 
 a unit for supplying the substrate-treating liquid to the inkjet head unit, 
 wherein the unit for supplying the substrate-treating liquid comprises: 
 a supply reservoir module comprising:
 a first reservoir configured to supply the substrate-treating liquid to the inkjet head unit, and 
 a second reservoir configured to recover the substrate-treating liquid that remains unused in the inkjet head unit, and 
 
 a buffer reservoir module configured to provide the substrate-treating liquid to the first reservoir; and 
 a circulation control module configured to circulate and re-supply the substrate-treating liquid from the second reservoir to the first reservoir, 
 wherein a differential pressure is constantly maintained between the first reservoir and the second reservoir, and 
 wherein the unit for supplying the substrate-treating liquid further comprises: 
 a first line connecting the first reservoir and the inkjet head unit; 
 a second line connecting the inkjet head unit and the second reservoir; 
 a third line connecting the first reservoir and the second reservoir; 
 a fourth line separate from the second line and connected between the second reservoir and the circulation control module; and 
 a fifth line separate from the first line and connected between the circulation control module and the first reservoir. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16 , configured to utilize quantum dot (QD) ink for the substrate-treating liquid. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 16 ,
 wherein the third line is configured to move a flow rate corresponding to the differential pressure between the first reservoir and the second reservoir. 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein a flow rate of the substrate-treating liquid passing through the third line is greater than a flow rate of the substrate-treating liquid passing through the first line and/or the second line.